This is a photo gallery of Thorens turntables in use from around the
world.

Indexed by model number.

An open invitation:

If you have a Thorens turntable that is either; a) not already featured here,
or b) is of exceptional condition, or c) is collectible no matter
what condition please see this image upload faq link for
submissions into the Thorens Gallery.

OK, so what is different and what is the same between the TD160 and its
little brother, the TD165..? Details, mainly. The 3-spring suspended
layout is the same. The floating chassis forms a rigid platform for both
the platter bearing and tonearm on both of these tables. Indeed, it is the
same stamped plate. The cabinetry is identical and much of the tonearm is
the same, but there are also differences. The platter bearing for the
TD165 houses a 7mm spindle rather than the 10mm spindle shaft of its larger
sibling. The inner driven platter for the TD165 is die cast resin (aka plastic) rather than the cast zinc
metal of its brother. The tonearms differ in
the anti-skate devices used. The TD165 used what was known as the TP11
tonearm. Essentially the same gimbal pivot design as the TP16, used by the
TD160, but with a weight-on-a-string design to counteract the skating forces
that all pivoting tonearms must deal with. The TP16 of the TD160 used, by
comparison a pair of opposing magnets, one fixed, the other adjustable for
position in location about a metal ring. Adjust the one magnet closer to
the ring and anti-skating bias was increased. Who is to say which of the
two arms was actually better..? However the TP16 was sold as the superior
unit.

Which is actually the better sounding table..? In truth they are close
but with slight variations in overall tonal signature.

What about the 'Super' designation....why is it so super..? Here's a
little story.

The story begins with a UK Thorens distributor called Metrosound, and later
to be known as Cambrasound. Metrosound was the kind of company that
listened to its customers comments. When they began hearing numerous
comments from TD160 owners who claimed to have modified and indeed improved the
sound of their samples, Metrosound decided to investigate on their
own. They set service manager Charles Trayhorn on a mission of producing a
modified TD160 in an effort to persuade the manufacturer, Thorens, to
produce such a version.

What Trayhorn built used a different mat, used no foam damping in the
springs, and the undersides of the motorboard and sub-chassis were damped with
bituminous felt. The plastic TD160 armboard was replaced with a high
density version and left blank to incorporate many different tonearms apart from
the standard Thorens TP16. The standard cabinetry surround was replaced with a
larger, more solid one and the plastic dustcover hinges were replaced with metal
ones and the top trim facia received a slightly different paint scheme. This is
essentially what Thorens themselves built, dubbing it the TD160 Super. The
factory TD160 Supers were all based on the TD160 mkII model.

Typically, the TD160 Super came without tonearm so that the customer could
choose his/her favorite arm and allow the dealer to drill the armboard to
fit. Metrosound/Cambrasound was just such a company that could do
this. The TD160 Super sold in limited quantities and always cost
significantly more than its standard TD160 MkII brother. Even without a
tonearm.

The TD160S, like the Mk IV and MkV versions are actually successors to the
TD147 which came equipped with the TP16 mk IV and TP90 tonearms respectively. The
Mk V is from 1988 to approximately1991. These models, like the TD145, 146 and 147 featured auto-lift
and shut-off operations. Like the TD147 they feature a more solid
cabinet. The TD160S should not be confused with the earlier and more
specialized TD160 Super.

The Thorens TD145,
the design of the TD160 but with the added complexity of auto-stop with
arm-lift.

Note about the Phantasie: It was a special model TD320 constructed in
solid clear cast acrylic instead of the usual medium density fiberboard. (MDF)
These were issued to Thorens dealers worldwide as a marketing device to gather
attention to the brand. These models could be ordered from the factory by
customers but the price was not low.

With its wider plinth to accommodate 12 inch tonearms, the TD520 carries on
in the tradition of the TD125 LB (Long Base), and the TD127.....only in an
updated design more akin to the TD3xx and TD2001 models

Various non hi-fi Thorens turntable models dating from the turn of the 20th
century and its acoustic wind-up gramophones to the portables and compacts
made throughout the first half of the 20th century.